Published 6:30 am, Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Kathy, yes, there is, and it includes my favorite must-have in every household: vinegar! Here are the steps:

Turn on the dishwasher when it is empty; don't use any dishwasher detergent.

Let the bottom of the washer fill with water, stop the cycle, then pour in 2 to 3 cups of plain white or apple-cider vinegar. Let the dishwasher finish the cycle. You might need to repeat if you have extremely stubborn hard-water stains inside.

Do this periodically to keep the dishwasher clean and fresh.

HELOISE

Dear Heloise:

I have used rubber gloves to wash dishes, and I put a sticky clip inside the cabinet door to keep them at hand. But the drippy mess irritated me.

I finally figured out to dry my gloves while they are on my hands! No more drippy mess.